SPEAR 3 explained

SPEAR 3
Type:Air-to-surface missile
Electronic warfare system
Anti-ship missile
Origin:United Kingdom
Is Ranged:Yes
Is Explosive:Yes
Is Artillery:Yes
Is Vehicle:Yes
Is Missile:Yes
Used By:See Users
Designer:MBDA UK
Manufacturer:MBDA UK
Weight:100abbr=onNaNabbr=on[1] [2]
Length:1800abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Diameter:180abbr=onNaNabbr=on
Engine:Turbojet engine[3]
Vehicle Range:80miles[4] [5] [6] or 140 km [7]
Guidance:Millimeter wave Active radar homing / Semi-active laser guidance / Infrared homing (using an uncooled imaging infrared camera) / GPS coupled Inertial guidance / Data-link
Steering:Flight control surfaces
Launch Platform:Typhoon (in progress)
F-35B (contracted)
JAS39 Gripen (in progress)

The Select Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) Capability 3, or simply referred to as SPEAR 3 is a future British air-to-ground and possibly anti-ship cruise missile that could also be considered a loitering munition.[8] [9] It is currently planned to be integrated on the Eurofighter Typhoon, F-35B Lightning and possibly Tempest.[10]

SPEAR 3 had been planned to be operational in 2025.[11] However, in November 2021, Defence Procurement Minister Jeremy Quin told the House of Commons Select Defence Committee that full operating capability for SPEAR-3 on F-35 might not occur until 2028.[12]

A SPEAR-EW (Electronic Warfare) variant, similar in capabilities to the ADM-160 MALD, has also been fast-tracked into development.[13]

Background

See main article: Brimstone (missile).

The Select Precision Effects At Range (SPEAR) program is a portfolio of guided munitions being procured by the Royal Air Force across five different capability programs each incrementally increasing in weapon range and from tactical to strategic roles.[14] The SPEAR capability 3 was to be an 100 kg class weapon that would sit between the updated capabilities of Brimstone (SPEAR 2) and Storm Shadow (SPEAR 4) to provide a high-sortie-capacity standoff weapon.

A number of suppliers offered products to meet the program requirements. In 2008, Lockheed Martin offered the Surveilling Miniature Attack Cruise Missile (SMACM) which was not taken forward. In the 2010s, Raytheon (Now RTX) offered the SDB-II (GBU-53) unpowered glide bomb including the possibility licensed production at their UK facilities. Meanwhile MBDA UK offered a new missile design utilising existing developments in weapons technologies such as for Brimstone to produce a miniature cruise missile which was then taken forward with an assessment phase contract offered in the 2010s.[15] In 2015, Raytheon considered developing a powered SDB-II variant with a turbojet, or alternatively, developing a weaponised variant of the ADM-160 MALD (Miniature Air-Launched Decoy) with both options as likely counters to MBDA's competing powered-weapon design.[16]

In March 2016, a SPEAR trials missile was launched from a Eurofighter Typhoon trials aircraft operated by BAE Systems at the QinetiQ Aberporth range in Wales. The missile transitioned through separation from the aircraft to powered flight before completing a series of manoeuvres, ending in a terminal dive to the desired point of impact. The missile accurately followed the planned trajectory and was well within simulation predictions; all trial objectives were achieved.[17] In May 2016, MBDA's bid for SPEAR Cap 3 program was fully solidified when the MoD awarded them a £411 million contract for the development of their air-launched SPEAR missile.[18]

In July 2023, Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP) data revealed that the Delivery Confidence Assessment had been downgraded from Amber to Red primarily resulting from " “...challenges with resourcing sufficient suitably qualified and experienced people across the programme and delivery teams, and within industry”.[19]

Characteristics

SPEAR

SPEAR 3 weighs less than 90 kg (198.4 lbs) with a length of 1.8m (70.8 in) and a diameter of 180mm (7.08 in).[20] The missile will feature a multimode seeker with INS/GPS guidance and datalink.[21] The missile is set to use the same Hamilton Sundstrand TJ-150 turbojet as the JSOW-ER and MALD combined with a folding wing kit, providing an engagement range in excess of 140 km (86.9 mi).[22] The fusing options and warhead are likely to be similar to that of 14 lb warhead of Brimstone.SPEAR 3 will be integrated with the F-35 Lightning's Block 4 software package and on the Eurofighter Typhoon around the mid-to-late 2020s.[23] Mock-ups for the UK's future sixth-generation fighter 'Tempest' being developed under the Global Combat Air Program (GCAP) with Japan and Italy have been shown with SPEAR 3 as part of the aircraft's possible future arsenal alongside the Future Cruise/Anti Ship Weapon(s) (FC/ASW).[24] MBDA has shown artwork of a four-missile launcher on a single Typhoon weapon station, and four will fit with a Meteor air-to-air missile in each of the two internal weapons bays of the F-35B when in an air-to-surface configuration.[25] No images have yet been revealed of any external SPEAR 3 carriage capability for the F-35B with all current renderings and models showing only internally mounted weapons.

Networked swarm capability for SPEAR missiles is in development.[26] In 2023, MBDA announced that SPEAR 3 would be integrated into Orchestrike, MBDA's collaborative effector system utilising AI to allow multiple smart munitions to work in concert with one another.[27] At the Farnborough Airshow 2024, MBDA confirmed that the SPEAR product line would be the first to receive this capability.[28] [29]

SPEAR-EW

MBDA also proposed and was later awarded a technical demonstrator program contract for a SPEAR Electronic Warfare (SPEAR-EW) variant, a SEAD attack version for the RAF.[30] [31] The fuel capacity would be enlarged and the warhead and seeker removed to accommodate an electronic warfare payload derived from Leonardo UK's BriteCloud countermeasure allowing SPEAR-EW to loiter in contested airspace and act as a stand-in jammer or in a decoy role similar to the ADM-160 MALD.[32] The UK had previously shown interest in the capabilities of MALD back in 2009 at the Paris Air Show.[33]

In September 2023, MBDA was awarded additional funds to fast-track the development of SPEAR-EW from the Ministry of Defence. This suggests that the UK is looking to field SPEAR-EW operationally alongside SPEAR 3, although this has not be officially confirmed.

Conceptualised variants

Concepts have also been shown for additional missile variants such as SPEAR Glide, an unpowered variant without the TJ-150 turbojet making it more analogous to the GBU-53; sacrificing speed, range and manoeuvrability for a larger warhead and possibly lower cost whilst still be able to be carried on the same weapon rail as other SPEAR variants by retaining the common airframe.[34] Another concept has been for a surface launched variant called the Common Anti-Surface Modular Missile (CAsMM) that could be quad-packed into the Mark 41 / Mark 57 or similar vertical launcher systems (Sylver) by utilising the same Extensible Launching System (EXLS) munitions adapter as the Common Anti-Air Modular Missile (CAMM) family.

Operators

Future operators

Royal Air Force / Royal Navy - Scheduled to be fully operational on the F-35 by 2028.

Italian Navy - On 15 July 2024, documentation published by the Italian Parliament outlined that the Italian Navy's 15 F-35Bs would be equipped with SPEAR 3.[35]

Potential operators

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: SPEAR datasheet . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813151544/https://www.mbda-systems.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/spear.pdf . 2020-08-13 . live.
  2. Web site: SPEAR - MBDA . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813152300/https://www.mbda-systems.com/product/spear/ . 2020-08-13 . live.
  3. Web site: High Performance Propulsion for Tactical Missiles and UAV's . Whitney AeroPower . 19 May 2016 . https://web.archive.org/web/20160701210626/https://www.pw.utc.com/Content/Press_Kits/pdf/me_TJ150_pCard.pdf . 2016-07-01.
  4. Web site: UK MoD funds further development of Spear 3 missile . Flight Global . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813163417/https://www.flightglobal.com/uk-mod-funds-further-development-of-spear-3-missile/120635.article . 2020-08-13.
  5. Web site: MBDA SPEAR 3 missile would bring true anti-ship capabilities to RAF and FAA F-35s . Naval Recognition . 22 July 2014 . https://web.archive.org/web/20141029174653/http://www.navyrecognition.com/index.php/news/defence-news/year-2014-news/july-2014-navy-naval-forces-maritime-industry-technology-security-global-news/1911-mbda-spear-3-missile-would-bring-true-anti-ship-capabilities-to-raf-and-faa-f-35s.html . 2014-10-29 . live.
  6. Web site: No UK Spear Cap 3 Decision on F-35 until 2018 . Defense News . 28 May 2015 . https://archive.today/20200813165116/https://www.defensenews.com/air/2015/05/27/no-uk-spear-cap-3-decision-on-f-35-until-2018/ . 2020-08-13 . live.
  7. Web site: SPEAR3 — FLEXIBILITY AND AN ALMIGHTY PUNCH . Eurofighter Typhoon . https://web.archive.org/web/20190221000648/https://world.eurofighter.com/articles/spear3-flexibility-and-an-almighty-punch . 2019-02-21 . live.
  8. Web site: £411m invested in F-35s new anti-ship/tank/building mini-cruise missile . Navy News . https://web.archive.org/web/20160519102709/https://www.navynews.co.uk/archive/news/item/14885 . 2016-05-19.
  9. Web site: Aimpoint selection: the UK's SPEAR Cap 3 air-to-surface weapon . IHS Janes . https://web.archive.org/web/20150714182911/http://www.janes360.com/images/assets/853/47853/the_UK_s_SPEAR_Cap_3_air-to-surface_weapon.pdf . 2015-07-14.
  10. Web site: 5 October 2023 . Tempest . 5 October 2023 . Royal Air Force.
  11. https://www.defensenews.com/global/europe/2021/01/06/the-british-pick-mbdas-spear-3-cruise-missile-for-their-f-35s/ The British pick MBDA’s Spear 3 cruise missile for their F-35s
  12. Web site: Royal Navy rows back on plans to acquire new anti-ship missiles before 2030s | Navy Lookout . 4 November 2021 .
  13. Web site: Allison . George . 2023-09-12 . UK boosts funding for SPEAR-EW jammer development – DSEI23 . 2023-10-03 . en-GB.
  14. Web site: 2022-11-06 . SPEAR Missile - Think Defence . 2023-10-02 . www.thinkdefence.co.uk . en-GB.
  15. Web site: 29 March 2010 . UK Study Contract Awarded to integrate Brimstone 2 onto Typhoon . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20160611130927/https://www.baesystems.com/en/article/uk-study-contract-awarded-to-integrate-brimstone-2-onto-typhoon . 2016-06-11 . Bae Systems.
  16. Web site: Chuter . Andrew . 2015-06-15 . Raytheon Considers Powered SDB for UK F-35s . 2023-10-15 . Defense News . en.
  17. Web site: 12 July 2016 . MBDA SHOWCASES THE SPEAR PRECISION STRIKE MISSILE FOR THE F-35 . MBDA.
  18. Web site: 18 March 2016 . £411 million investment in new missile for UK's new jets sustains 700 UK jobs . UK Ministry of Defence.
  19. Web site: Allison . George . 2023-07-23 . F-35 Spear Cap 3 missile project 'facing challenges' . 2023-10-03 . en-GB.
  20. Web site: 6 Jan 2021 . £550m F-35 missile contract signed . 3 October 2023 . RAF.
  21. Web site: Hoyle . Craig . 27 June 2012 . PICTURES: MBDA sharpens Spear missile design for F-35 integration . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813171404/https://www.flightglobal.com/pictures-mbda-sharpens-spear-missile-design-for-f-35-integration/105874.article . 2020-08-13 . Flight International.
  22. Web site: Administrator . MBDA SPEAR 3 missile would bring true anti-ship capabilities to RAF and FAA F-35s . 23 July 2016.
  23. Web site: Storm Shadow dropped from UK's F-35B follow-on integration plan . https://web.archive.org/web/20160122235748/http://www.janes.com/article/57304/storm-shadow-dropped-from-uk-s-f-35b-follow-on-integration-plan . 2016-01-22 . IHS Janes.
  24. Web site: Stevenson . Beth . 2018-07-16 . Britain reveals combat air strategy alongside new Tempest fighter jet design . 2023-12-15 . Defense News . en.
  25. Web site: MBDA MISSILE CAPABILITIES F-35 LIGHTNING II . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20200813174257/https://www.mbda-systems.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/06/JSF-Data-Sheet_Layout-1.pdf . 2020-08-13.
  26. Web site: 12 September 2019 . SPEAR Mini-Cruise Missile Getting An Electronic Warfare Variant To Swarm With Is A Huge Deal - The Drive .
  27. Web site: Paris Air Show: MBDA aims to overcome complex air defence challenges with Orchestrike Shephard . 2023-10-03 . www.shephardmedia.com . en.
  28. Web site: 2024-07-18 . Orchestrike: MBDA accelerates deployment of AI for SPEAR cruise missiles . 2024-07-22 . MBDA . en-EN.
  29. Web site: 2024-07-22 . Farnborough 2024: MBDA advances AI-based Orchestrike for SPEAR missile family . 2024-07-22 . Default . en.
  30. News: . 11 September 2019 . MBDA working on new SPEAR-EW electronic warfare weapon . MBDA . 19 October 2019.
  31. Web site: SPEAR-EW Network enabled Electronic Warfare Capability . live . https://web.archive.org/web/20220506182946/https://www.mbda-systems.com/?action=force-download-attachment&attachment_id=20573 . 2022-05-06 . PDF.
  32. Web site: SPEAR-EW Air Dominance, TACTICAL STRIKE . 2023-10-03 . MBDA . en-US.
  33. Web site: Hoyle . Craig . 16 June 2009 . PARIS AIR SHOW: Raytheon advances MALD-J, as UK eyes derivative . 2023-11-06 . Flight Global . en.
  34. Web site: MBDA discloses development of SPEAR variants . 2023-10-03 . Janes.com . en.
  35. Web site: 2024-07-16 . Italian Navy to equip F-35Bs with JSM, SPEAR 3 stand-off weapons . 2024-07-16 . Janes . en.
  36. News: 10 March 2022 . WDS 2022: MBDA, SAMI sign agreement on missile maintenance . 5 February 2023 . Janes Information Services.
  37. Web site: Chuter . Andrew . 2021-01-06 . The British pick MBDA’s Spear 3 cruise missile for their F-35s . 2024-01-14 . Defense News . en.
  38. Web site: Allison . George . 2023-12-12 . MBDA and KAI working together for weapon integration . 2023-12-13 . en-GB.